1848.] Routes from Barjeeling to Thibet. 499 



Choongtan. — At and just above the junction of the Lachen and La- 

 choong. There is a Goompa here, and a few houses of Lepchas ; rice 

 grows at the riverside. 



Lachoong. — The road, which is pretty good, lies all the way along the 

 riverside, west bank. The river is as large as the little Rungeet. 



Yeumtang. — All the way on the west bank of the Lachoong, and 

 close to it ; direction north, road good, no inhabitants, and forest heavy. 



Momay Samdong. — Still along the west bank of the Lachoong. 

 There is a warm spring here ; no forest, some Juniper bushes only. 



Cholamoo. — Leave the Lachoong at Momay, and after proceeding 

 some distance ascend the Donkia Lah for about 300 feet, when you 

 cross the ridge through a pass or depression in it, flanked by two high 

 peaks, which are not snowed before September. The pass itself is not 

 snowed before November, and may generally be crossed till December, 

 if the winter is not severe. The Lachoong is formed at Momay, by 

 numerous small rills from the Donkia mountain. 



From the pass to Cholamoo the descent is very steep and may be 

 about 800 feet. Here begins the plain of Thibet. No inhabitants at 

 Cholamoo. 



Geeroo. — Direction west, road good and all the way over level land, 

 which is quite bare of vegetation, and generally stony. The Lachen 

 road over the Latong pass falls in at Geeroo. 



Kambajong. — Direction west, road good and over level land, which 

 has occasional hillocks rising from it. A village of Bhotiahs here, and 

 some cultivation. The station of a Soobah. 



The road from Choombi to Dobtah and this place is by Phari, which 

 is three journeys to the east.* 



Uchee. — Direction west and over level ground. Hot springs here of 

 some celebrity, they deposit a white salt, called Peu, which is I believe 

 carbonate of soda. No inhabitants here, country very bare and 

 barren. 



Koorma. — Direction north, cross the Tagilah, a ridge of 3 or 400 

 feet high, within a short distance of Uchee, then along a sandy plain 

 to Koorma, which has 100 houses or so. The people are pastoral and 

 traders, no cultivation. 



* The stages are Dokshala, Mendingbooding, Phari ; the road is easy and over 

 the plateau of Thibet. 



3 u 



